NPR : Study Questions Value of Episiotomies - A new study in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds no benefit from episiotomies. Melissa Block talks with Dr. Katherine E. Hartmann, who is lead author of the study. [3:53 streaming audio broadcast] - http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4630848
Baby Center: Episiotomy - The how and why, including commonly asked questions and their answers. Includes user submitted comments on personal experiences with the procedure. - http://www.babycenter.com/refcap/pregnancy/childbirth/165.html
Much Ado About a Little Cut - Article from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists suggesting that routine episiotomy is no longer advisable. - http://www.acog.com/from_home/publications/green_journal/wrapper.cfm?document=2000/ong11779fla.htm
Perineal Massage: Your How-To Guide - Article on how performing perineal massage may allow the mother to give birth without an episiotomy or laceration. - http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/midwife/qas/0,10338,239741_113778,00.html
Parent's Place: Episiotomy - Article on the pros and cons of the procedure. - http://www.parentsplace.com/expert/birthguru/articles/0,10335,243385_188710,00.html
Perineal Protection - Avoiding Tears and Episiotomy - Suggestions for avoiding the procedure from midwives, including the use of perineal massage and birth stools. - http://www.gentlebirth.org/archives/perinealProtection.html
Get Through Childbirth in One Piece - An article with references about methods for avoiding the procedure, written by the author of the book by the same name. - http://www.midwifeinfo.com/topic-episiotomy.php
About Episiotomy - A collection of links to articles on the subject plus information on using exercise to avoid and recover from the procedure. - http://pregnancy.about.com/cs/episiotomy/
Birth Psychology: Epsiotomy - A description of the procedure, its purposes, and women's responses to it. - http://www.birthpsychology.com/messages/episiotomy/episiotomy.html
Benefits and Risks of Episiotomy - Text of the manuscript subtitled "A Review of the English-Language Literature Since 1980" by R.J. Woolley which summarize the findings of studies on the subject. - http://www.gentlebirth.org/format/woolley.html
Episiotomy: Ritual Genital Mutilation in Western Obstetrics - An article denouncing the practice of routinely cutting the perineum during hospital deliveries in the United States with abstracts for related studies. - http://www.changesurfer.com/Hlth/episiotomy.html
Obstetric Myths Versus Research Realities: Episiotomy - Summary of significant points, references, and abstracts from related studies from this book on obstetric myths. - http://www.efn.org/~djz/birth/obmyth/epis.html